[Experimental study on effects of testis murine cytomegalovirus infection on sperm viability in mice].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effects of testis murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection on mature sperm viability in mice.

METHODS

BALB/c mice without MCMV infection, screened by ELISA, were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (n = 64) and a control group (n = 40). The former were directly inoculated with MCMV into the testis, while the latter treated by inoculation of DMEM without MCMV. The mice in both of the groups were sacrificed respectively at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 14, 21, 38 d postinoculation (D1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 14, 21, 38 PI), the testis was examined histopathologically, and meanwhile the viability of mature sperms in the epididymis cauda was measured.

RESULTS

MCMV basophil inclusion bodies were found in the Leydig cells in the experimental group, and spermatogenic cells were vacuolated and arranged disorderly. Compared with the control group, the sperm viability in the experimental group was decreased significantly by 71.42% to 56.04% (P < 0.05) on D1 PI.

CONCLUSION

The sperm viability in mice might be descended significantly by MCMV infection in the early period, but restored to normal with time. This shows that MCMV infection might influence procreation transiently.